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How cute is this? I decided I need to add to my Seacats line, so I added these
preemie signs to my
online store recently!
And if you need it in
pink,
no problem! = )
I am working on a new Seacats book, but with my novels and a commissioned book coming up, my pace is kind of slow. I will let you know as I progress, though!
Thanks for dropping by!
We've made signs for babies with Contact Dermatitis, or
Contact Allergies for short. If you have a newborn or even a toddler with a
Contact Allergy, this sign is for you! These cute panda bear signs can help keep baby safe and clean, and make great baby shower gifts!
Check them out on
our website and on
Etsy.
Sorry it's been so long, I've been so very busy since my last post.
I have some exciting news coming about a new Seacats book! Until then, here is my latest S
eacats car seat sign,
Seacat Hugs. Too cute! = )
Buy one (or a few) on
Etsy,
Amazon, and
on my website.
Many people have been requesting that the
More Than I Can Bear car seat sign be turned into a home / door sign. And since I got a little bit of extra time this week (I
wrote two novels this summer —
whew!), I got it done!
People generally want this for day care centers, hospitals or their nursery door. The sign measures 5.2 x 7.2 inches, is laminated and durable! Oh, and of course,
handmade in Alaska, USA! Click here to check it out, and while you're there, take a look around! =)
More to come — stay tuned!
Many people have been requesting that the
More Than I Can Bear car seat sign be turned into a home / door sign. And since I got a little bit of extra time this week (I
wrote two novels this summer —
whew!), I got it done!
People generally want this for day care centers, hospitals or their nursery door. The sign measures 5.2 x 7.2 inches, is laminated and durable! Oh, and of course,
handmade in Alaska, USA! Click here to check it out, and while you're there, take a look around! =)
More to come — stay tuned!
Just a quick post to let you know about my new book blog! This is the official site for
Cold Snap Books and it is online at
MyBestFriendsBrother.com!
Hint: You can also get there by clicking the Cold Snap Books / Ya / My Best Friend's Brother tab above!My Best Friend's Brother is the title of my second novel—and the first in a series—but
all of my novels will be featured there, because it is a common theme in many of my books.
In
Life with Jesse Daniels, Anna Devlin finds herself in love with her best friend—and boyfriend Derek's brother—Jesse Daniels. And Derek is, well, her best friend's brother, so there you go!
My what a tangled web we weave!I am currently completing
Book of Luke, and am getting excited! Keep an eye on my book blog for updates!
Just a quick post to let you know about my new book blog! This is the official site for
Cold Snap Books and it is online at
MyBestFriendsBrother.com!
Hint: You can also get there by clicking the Cold Snap Books / Ya / My Best Friend's Brother tab above!My Best Friend's Brother is the title of my second novel—and the first in a series—but
all of my novels will be featured there, because it is a common theme in many of my books.
In
Life with Jesse Daniels, Anna Devlin finds herself in love with her best friend—and boyfriend Derek's brother—Jesse Daniels. And Derek is, well, her best friend's brother, so there you go!
My what a tangled web we weave!I am currently completing
Book of Luke, and am getting excited! Keep an eye on my book blog for updates!
Jesse was in the foyer talking to Dad when I got downstairs. He dressed in the usual—jeans and a baggy tee shirt—with his hair gelled back. He stopped talking mid-sentence when he saw me in my violet top and black shorts, and grinned. “I told you,” he breathed, referring to his text.
I blushed and giggled.
“You look great, Princess!” Dad’s smile lessened as his eyes traveled below my waist. “Aren’t those shorts too short, though? Your legs will freeze.”
“Dad! It’s like 70 degrees out tonight, I’ll be fine.” I gave him a hug and grabbed my shoes.
Dad crossed his arms, smiled and looked at Jesse. They just stood there in silence for a moment. Then Dad said, “Have her home by 10:30, Jesse. Drive safe.”
“Sure thing, Mr. Devlin.” And he followed me out the door. Dad doesn’t give Jesse a hard time like he does to poor Derek.
We got into Jesse’s bumble bee yellow (as he called it) Chevy Camaro 2LS Coupe. It “only” cost his dad $30,000. I wish my dad gave me “only” thirty grand for a car. I don’t even own a car and I’ve been licensed for six months! I guess it’s understandable, though, as my dad doesn’t work on Wall Street. There’s also no million in Dad’s name, like there is in Maximilian Daniels.
“Seat belts,” Jesse uttered, feeling for mine. He always checks, but this time he accidentally grabbed one of my 34Cs. He immediately removed his hand, his eyes steady on the windshield. “Sorry. I was feeling for the shoulder belt.”
“It’s on,” I assured him, glad he couldn’t see my smile in the dark car. Not that he was looking.
He cleared his throat. “That’s good.”
“Yeah,” I breathed. “So it’s 7:50, and we’re going to be late.”
“Right,” he said. “I noticed.”
“Do you want to do something else?”
He looked at me. After a moment of complete silence he uttered, “Like what?”
“We can go skating.”
“Oh.” He pulled a pack of gum out of his pocket. He offered me a stick but I declined. He popped one in his mouth, nodded, and said, “Sure.” So we were off.
We got to the outdoor skating rink half hour later. He parked the car and we sat in it for a while, watching people skate to the music. I don’t know why we just sat there, but I didn’t mind it. The AC felt good on my bare legs.
Jesse took off his glasses and cleaned the lenses with his shirt. He put them back on and looked at me. “What’cha thinking?”
I smiled. “Are you going to the prom tomorrow?”
He looked out the window briefly. “Yeah. Are you?”
“I am.”
He nodded. “I thought so.”
“Who are you going with?” I asked casually.
He chewed on his gum for a moment. He likes to chew with his mouth open, which is half rude and half cute. “Zoey. I asked and she accepted.”
I knew it. God, I can’t stand that girl! “That’s nice.”
I don’t know what the deal is with them. They were never serious, they just used each other for dates. Like at the junior prom, she went with him and left with someone else. I don’t think there’s a single guy in school she hasn’t dated. When they’re together, the girl flirts with other guys with Jesse there, and he either doesn’t notice, or he doesn’t care.
Seriously, he deserves way better than that.
Jesse shifted in his seat, so his body faced me. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” I said instantly.
He nodded. “You know, my brother and Greg reserved rooms.”
I figured they would, but I acted surprised. “Really?”
“Yeah. What do you think about that?”
I chuckled. “What is there to think?”
He shrugged and blew a small bubble. It popped noisily. “Are you ... excited?”
I didn’t answer for a moment, since I really wasn’t sure. “I dunno. Should I be?”
He grinned and looked away. “No.”
“No?” I confirmed.
He looked back at me. “No.”
“You don’t want me to be excited?” I smiled, knowing we were skating around a very intimate topic.
He scratched the top of his head. Then he shrugged again and said, “No.”
“Did you reserve a room?” I asked.
“What’s it matter?”
I was silent for a moment. “Just wondering.”
“Oh.”
Oh? That’s it? You’re not going to answer my question? I sighed and looked straight ahead. I could feel his eyes on me. “Do you want to go?” I asked, motioning toward the rink.
“In a bit,” he breathed. “I like to talk.”
I took off my belt and hugged myself. “Me, too.”
“Cold?”
“A bit,” I breathed. I wasn’t sure if I was actually cold or just nervous. I wasn’t even sure why I was nervous, but I sort of felt it.
He turned down the AC. “I think I’ve decided on the University of Nebraska. They have one of the few entomology programs in the country. So I’m going to do that in the fall.”
“Nebraska!” I practically shrieked.
“Yeah.” Our eyes met. “What do you think about that?”
Tears gathered in my eyes. He was leaving? I mean I know he applied to a bunch of schools but he picked one halfway across the country? To study bugs? “That’s great,” I breathed, trying to sound cheerful. In the meantime, my heart was on the floor.
He bit his lip. “So, you’re happy for me?”
I half laughed and it pushed some tears out. I wiped my eyes instantly. “Yeah, of course I’m happy for you!” I looked at him. For giving me such “great” news—which I apparently was expected to be thrilled about—he wasn’t even smiling.
His eyes broke free from mine. “Thanks,” he mumbled. “I’m not into dorm life, shared bathrooms and showers, so I’m renting a place off campus.” His expression remained serious. “Maybe I’ll get a roommate.” Our eyes brushed.
“Oh,” I breathed. A roommate? Like a girl roommate, or a boy roommate? I wasn’t going to ask, but I sort of wanted to know. “That’s great,” I repeated, although part of me wanted to slug him. I can’t believe he’s doing this to me!
He heaved a sigh, unbuckled his belt and said “Let’s go.”
I got out of the car. He’d completely ruined my night. We weren’t apart more than a day since the fourth grade and now he’s going to Nebraska? For four years. To dissect bugs!
Derek was majoring in hospital administration. Why couldn’t Jesse do that? Why couldn’t he study ecology? Zoology? Biology? Something normal. No, Jesse has to move halfway across the country to study creepy, crawly, gooey, disease spreading … insects.
“Are you okay?” he asked as I adjusted my skates.
or
I've been kind of absent lately. And by that I don't mean I'm off vacationing in exotic places or spending thousands at the mall.
Though that would
be nice... It essentially means I'm chasing two toddlers around, homeschooling, assembling signs, shipping orders and writing. And marketing my books.
Although mainly, I've been writing. Every chance I get.
I was supposed to finish
Spirit Guide (officially my third book) but I was pleasantly—
very pleasantly—surprised by how successful the book launch for
My Best Friend's Brother was. It hit several bestseller lists. It was downloaded more times than
ParaNorman. It actually got as high as #224 in Kindle Store. Out of so many books, that's pretty damn high.
I got lots of great feedback, and I made
a lot of people laugh. Which is the point. So I decided to write a sequel, while it's still in my head.
Speaking of my head—if you've read my novels, you know there's some weird stuff going on in there. They are both quite witty, and
My Best Friend's Brother is more so.
My mind is an interesting place. I can take just about any situation and turn it funny. I get ideas 24/7, and I don't even write most of them down. I'm not afraid of forgetting them, because if I do, I know I'll get plenty of new ones.
I can't turn them off, and sometimes they'll come at a bad time. Like I'll be in a store, I'll think up something bizarre and start laughing to myself like a moron. Sure, I get weird looks from people, but it's okay, because I'm a writer.
The sequel to
My Best Friend's Brother is titled
Book of Luke. Yes, it's technically a working title, but I love it and will almost definitely use it! Yes, I said "almost definitely", because I need the wiggle room. lol
I am having so much freaking fun writing this, and I can't wait until the world has so much freaking fun reading it! I plan to release the book this coming fall!
So, you know,
GO ME! |
| MY BEST FRIEND'S BROTHER, Book One |
or
My guidance counselor sat with his feet on the desk, rocking in his leather office chair, looking through a Sports Illustrated while sucking on a lollipop.
I cleared my throat to make myself known. He jumped from his seat and flashed me a smile.
“Miss Morrison!” he said, gesturing to enter.
Henry Bias is a man of medium height who bears a striking resemblance to actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. Think Snow Dogs. Outbreak. Pearl Harbor. He sounds just like him, too.
He sat again as soon as I parked myself in the blue interrogation seat. He shoved the Sports Illustrated into his desk drawer. “Some boy left that here,” he totally lied. He straightened his tie.
“And how are you today?”
“I could be better.”
His office makes me a bit claustrophobic. It’s almost entirely occupied by his enormous desk, some posters and his master’s degree. One poster on the wall above his head read,
“Psychology: know everything about everyone.”
That explains a lot.
“Good, good,” he said, pulling out my file. “Now, Adonia, you’re here because you want to talk.”
“I’m here because you want to talk,” I noted.
He looked at me with his permanent grin. “Right, right…” he said between his teeth. He took a deep breath and said, “Okay! How’s the boyfriend doing?”
“We broke up a month ago,” I reminded him.
“Oh,” he said sympathetically. “Do you want to talk about that?”
“No.”
“It’s good to talk about things that bother us!” he said enthusiastically.
“It doesn’t bother me.” Jake-the-horny-toad Andrews was the last thing I wanted to discuss with him.
“Do you want to talk about anything that does bother you?” he asked, blindly turning pages in my file.
“Nope.”
“How’s Lilly? Your best friend? That’s her name, isn’t it?”
Figures he wasn’t sure. Half the time I talk to him he’s in another dimension, staring above my head with that grin. “She’s going on vacation.”
“That’s nice.”
I shifted in my seat. “I’m kind of jealous.”
“Oh. So you want to talk about that?”
I shrugged. “I don’t want to....”
He looked above my head and nodded, stroking his chin with his thumb and index finger. “Good, good. Go right ahead, I’m listening.”
My head fell into my hands. The next time I looked up he still smiled at the wall behind me; at a poster of two hula dancers on a Hawaiian beach.
Why couldn’t he schedule his stupid appointments during math? I’d rather be confused by Mr. Bias than be confused by math.
“So you don’t want to talk?” he pressed once his vacation was over. “It’s confidential!” he exclaimed, grinning ear-to-ear.
I heaved a sigh. “My mom’s never home. Lilly’s mom is more of a mom to me than mine ever was. What does that tell you?” I pondered.
He held his chin and looked up thoughtfully. “That Lilly’s mom is a housewife and your mom isn’t?”
This guy’s got the most useless job on the face of the earth!
He held up a finger and searched frantically through my file. “She is a housewife, right?” He laughed nervously. “Well anyway, your mom’s career is clearly very high priority. She’s just doing the best she can. Have you considered your career path?”
“Yes... And it makes my head hurt.”
“Good, good. That’s what I like to hear.” He scratched his head and thumped the eraser side of a pencil on his desk. “So, which university did you apply to?”
“I applied to the one in British Columbia.”
“Sick of Alaska?”
“It’s not that,” I said. “I just want to get away from home.” Far, far away.
Mr. Bias nodded. “Well, I moved up here for work,” he said, “and I can’t afford to leave!” His smile evaporated for a second as he stared, teary-eyed, into oblivion.
When he was back, his smile returned. “Any others?”
“No.” How many colleges do I need to get into, anyway? In the end, I can only attend one.
He laced his fingers and rested his hands on the desk. “How do your parents feel about that school?”
“I don’t know.” And I wanted to add, “I don’t care.”
“How do you think they feel about that school?”
My expression was blank.
“Well, let me rephrase that. How do you feel about how they might feel?” he asked with little hand gestures.
“I don’t know,” I repeated.
“Do you want to talk about it? This is a very confusing time for you, no question about that!”
I rolled my eyes. It’s funny how he thought he had to tell me that this was a ‘very confusing time’ for me.
“Well then, I’ll see you next week! Unless you have other things you’d like to discuss today...?” He raised his eyebrows skeptically.
“No thanks,” I said, about to bolt out of there.
“Good, good. Feel free to come by any time you’d like to talk. I’m here to help!”
I left.
My parents, college, Jake, decision-making—everything I didn’t want to talk about, he brought up.
He even defended my poor excuse for a mother!
God, what’s that man paid for?
________________________________________________
Excerpt from "My Best Friend's Brother".
Copyright © 2015 by Chrissy Fanslau. All rights reserved.
 |
| MY BEST FRIEND'S BROTHER, Book One |
or
Dad was at the kitchen table, sipping his coffee and flipping through his beloved Writer’s Digest.
“Good morning,” he said, without looking at me.
“Morning, Dad.” I fell into my seat and practically inhaled the golden brown omelet, plump with melted cheddar and overflowing with mushrooms. “I’m going to the mall today,” I announced, silently hoping he’d let me. Sometimes Dad’s just in a stay-at-home kind of mood, but today he seemed passive. I think I’ve earned it, spending all of Saturday doing homework.
He chewed his food, his eyes glued to the magazine. “Sure, sweetie,” he mumbled.
I smiled and finished my breakfast.
“Don’t you have homework, Adonia?” Sullivan mocked in Dad’s direction.
I rolled my eyes.
Sullivan has brown hair that hangs halfway down his neck, which he parts down the middle and tucks behind his ears. His eyes are hazel and his mouth is too big for his face—no surprise! He teases me about everything, and even became friends with Jake after the break up. The little pest invited him over to play video games and kept me cornered in my room.
I shot him a look. Luckily, Dad hadn’t even looked up.
“Jake’s coming by today,” Sullivan informed me, looking for a reaction.
“So? I’ll be at the mall all day.” I took a sip of orange juice. “You know, I can hear your music all the way over here,” I said loudly, hoping Dad would lecture him again. But Dad still didn’t look up, and Sullivan pointed at me and laughed noiselessly.
“What do you two want for dinner?” Dad asked lamely, still reading.
Sullivan slammed his fists on the table. “Lasagna!”
Dad looked bewildered. “Lasagna? For the third time this week?”
I shook my head and rinsed off my plate.
“Be back by nine,” Dad said. I turned and looked at him. “It’s a school night!” he briefed. Then he buried his head back in his magazine.
I sighed, walked to the front door and put on my sneakers.
“And keep that cell phone on!” he insisted from the kitchen.
I stepped into the chilly Alaskan air, headed for Mom’s silver Jeep Grand Cherokee. She lets me drive it while she’s away. She’s in Australia until late November, doing research on the Aborigines.
I cranked the engine and sat waiting in my seat. The car reeked of vanilla. I adjusted the automatic leather seat and carefully backed out of the long driveway. It was overcast out, like it’s going to snow. I’m not a fan of driving in snow, but it’s better than not driving at all. I haven’t crashed a car yet, and I’ve been driving since sixteen.
For a Sunday, the mall was pretty dead. It’s not a huge mall by any means. It has a pet store, a book store, a food court, a couple clothing stores, a Halloween shop, a music store, a movie theater, and an arcade. If you have lots of interests, you can spend a good day there. I’m particularly fond of the book and pet stores, though I couldn’t buy any pets there anyway, because pets are big no-no’s with my parents, especially Dad. When I get my own place, I’m buying a puppy before I even fill the fridge.
Upon entering the bookstore, I was greeted by a tall, nerdy clerk. He knows me. I’m one of the regulars.
I usually spend a while in there, browsing the young adult novels.
Classical music played over the loudspeaker, and the place smelled incredible—there’s nothing like the smell of ink and paper! At least, not for bookworms like me there isn’t!
I seated myself at the base of a bookshelf in the back of the store and looked through some books. I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I’m one of those people that do—I like to see what the guys portrayed inside look like, and read through the book briefly. I’m not into naughty books, but I’ll have to admit, I am seventeen, and I am curious.
I spent a good hour reading, ignoring all the passersby and the loud giggly girls—as I call them—who walked in and headed straight for the adult romance novels. You know, the books with the half-naked men and extremely content women on the cover? Those novels.
The girls gathered around in a circle, whispered loudly, read and pointed and giggled, and this would—on some days—go on for about thirty minutes straight. This time, though, they went on for nearly an hour, about twenty or so feet from me, laughing wildly. It annoyed the hell out of me.
I skimmed through a book titled Love at the End of the Day, which seemed like another I’m-going-away-to-college-and-I’ll-miss-you kind of book. The kind that depressed me in more ways than one, because I too was facing the uncertainty of college. And—what’s worse—I had no one to say goodbye to, because I was single.
I closed the book and sighed uneasily. My focus turned suddenly to a guy dressed in loose black jeans and a white muscle shirt. He wore a silver chain around his neck, held a black leather jacket, and strolled through the aisles in search of something. His hair was golden blonde, split down the middle like Sullivan’s, but far shorter, leveling off at the top of his ears. He stopped in an aisle in the center section of the store, between me and the giggly girls. I thought he stopped in the travel section, but I wasn’t sure. Not until he picked up an atlas of Alaska.
I watched him curiously for some time. I hoped he wouldn’t look my way, because I stared like he’s a Greek god or something.
This guy is seriously hot! Too hot to even live here!
He eagerly skimmed the atlas. After some time, he bent over, put it back on the shelf and picked up another. He stood back up and looked through it, and when he tilted his head my way I got a glimpse of his eyes. His eyes are a light crystal blue, unlike any I’ve ever seen before! They’re incredible! Too hot for words!
I jumped and practically juggled my cell phone when it rang. Looking around sheepishly, I hit the green talk button.
“Hi!” It was Lilly.
“Hi,” I breathed softly. And I nearly choked on my spit when I saw him eyeing me! His head was slightly turned my way.
“We need to get together. I’m leaving in the morning,” Lilly said, preoccupied in the background. “Do you want to meet at the ice rink? It’s been a week and I won’t have any practice for another three.” Chatterbox Lilly has a tendency to go off on tangents. This time I couldn’t catch it all because a Greek god distracted me.
His eyes alternated between me and his book, though each time our eyes met, he looked away. “Lilly,” I hissed so he couldn’t hear me, “there’s a seriously hot guy in here.”
She stopped talking to her mother in the background. “What? I didn’t hear you.”
I turned my head toward the bookshelf so he couldn’t read my lips. “There’s this guy in here, and he’s really, really HOT.” I turned my head in time to see him stick his nose back in the atlas. “Did you hear me?” I asked in my normal voice.
“Yeah,” she uttered, “something about a hot guy. So go talk to him!”
“I don’t know...” I was always the shy type.
“No, you should. Where are you?’
“At the mall,” I replied. Then I remembered. “Hey, how’s your brother?” Please mention his name!
“Oh, he’s good,” she breathed. “He met Burke this morning, because Burke was on a business trip much of the weekend,” she said, going off on another tangent.
The giggly girls grew noisy, so I pressed the phone hard against my ear to try to make out what she was saying. I couldn’t catch most of it.
“Are you there?” is the next thing I heard.
“Yeah,” I breathed. “Can you come by the mall?”
“I’d like to, but I’m packing. Can you come by here? When I finish, maybe we can go skate?”
I was about to say yes when a smile formed on his lips. He was still looking at the atlas, but it felt like it was directed at me. I bit my lip, trying to decide—best friend or drop-dead gorgeous hot guy? Ugh, decisions! But what kind of a friend would I be if I refused to see her before she left on vacation? “I’ll be right—”
She cut me off. “Someone’s on the other line, how about I call you in a few hours, okay? I think it may be my brother, probably lost already. He’s been out all weekend in some cheesy rental! I just hope it’s not that dumb jock again!”
“Um, okay.” I was going to ask if she wanted me to drop by, but she hung up.
I put my phone away and looked at the giggly girls. They’re all pretty short—not that I’m tall or anything—two brunettes and three blondes. All between fourteen and sixteen. One of them pointed to him, the others checked him out and whispered back and forth like sixth-graders.
Annoyed, I stuck my nose back in the book. When my eyes wandered a few seconds later, he was looking at me, plain as day!
He gestured to the giggly girls with his head, made a bit of a face and smiled.
My shoulders sunk toward my feet and my mouth formed a grin. He’s looking at me! Naturally, I tried to contain myself—I’ve imagined things like this before. Yes, I’ve imagined gorgeous, literate guys checking me out, when they’re merely zit-faced losers with braces, dirty hair and the inability to formulate a sentence.
Need I remind you, the guys at school are not much to look at?
His attention shifted away from me. He put the atlas back on the shelf and pulled out another. Yup, I’d imagined it! But I found pleasure in watching him anyway, so I did.
There’s a term for that—it’s called stalking, right?
Before I could stalk much longer, he put the atlas down and very coolly strolled my way.
I pretended not to notice. I didn’t want to look dumb when he’d pass by me. That’s happened before, too, and not with a guy this hot.
My eyes fixed to page sixteen. I waited in suspense.
No one passed by. My breath stopped when I looked up: There he was.
“Good book?” he asked with a half-smile.
“Uh-huh,” I uttered, unable to find my voice.
He cocked his head and looked at the cover. “Love at the End of the Day,” he read, straightening his head and nodding as if that answered his question. “Going to buy that?”
I glanced toward the front of the store, where the clerk sat in a rotating chair, blowing a bubble and lost in a book. My eyes met the Greek god’s. “I don’t know. Should I?”
He shrugged. The giggly girls laughed loudly, but he blocked my view of them. “You could buy it and have lunch with me. Or you can leave it and have lunch with me…” The corners of his mouth rose into a seductive smile. “Or, you can bash me over the head with it for asking.” He grinned.
________________________________________________
Excerpt from "My Best Friend's Brother".
Copyright © 2015 by Chrissy Fanslau. All rights reserved.
|
| MY BEST FRIEND'S BROTHER, Book One |
or
I wrote a new SEACATS book about
killer whales, and since it is for such an important cause for me, maybe I should explain why.
What's one of the saddest things I see on social media every now and then? A picture of someone's kid posing with a poor, imprisoned "smiling" dolphin or orca in a tank in the background. They're kids and they don't know any better — what is taking them to marine parks to watch orcas do tricks for food really teaching them?
Whales and dolphins are highly intelligent animals — they are self-aware, and their brains are more complex than our own. Unlike us humans, they have a part of the brain dedicated solely to emotions. Is it fair to keep them essentially as slaves so kids can see one up-close? Why not take the kids whale-watching instead? In Maine or Hawaii or Prince William Sound? Or anyplace other than a place where you're paying for tickets to see an animal that's medicated, has chipped teeth and is so fed up it's probably contemplating killing its trainer? We all know that's happened before — watch
Blackfish.
If you can't afford a whale-watching trip,
The Whale (an amazing movie) is far cheaper than tickets to a marine park; it's more entertaining and more educational by far!
As a parent I can tell you there is nothing educational about these marine parks. The only thing you're
really teaching your kid about the animal, is that it's okay to keep it in a swimming pool.
Some say they're already in the tanks and would die in the wild. Some say
Keiko (the
Free Willy whale) died after being released, and use that as an argument to keep more whales in captivity. But that's nonsense — Keiko was freed because the vet at the marine park he lived at gave him
six months to live. He would have died in Mexico. But they freed him, and he lived free for
five years. He fed himself just fine.
I'm not sure what the answer is, but I know kids should not be raised thinking this practice is okay. These intelligent animals should not be slaves to entertainment. They have a social structure, dialects and culture, and they are being denied these things in a tank. We, as parents and as humans, need to change that ... because what kind of people will we raise if we teach kids that taking advantage of others is okay? These whales and dolphins are essentially
slaves. And nowadays — knowing what we do about these animals — that's really, really sad.
By the way, you can read
We Will Be Free for ... well,
free ... on
Kindle Unlimited!
or
I did a promotion for my debut Young Adult novel,
Life with Jesse Daniels, and the response has been overwhelming! Nearly
one thousand copies were downloaded in the first 24 hours!
As I write this, my book is still at the top of the Teen and Young Adult Fiction list, and I am so extremely thrilled!
I will be sending the final draft of my new novel,
My Best Friend's Brother, to my editor next week, so this could not have happened at a better time for me!
Thanks for dropping by today! Enjoy your weekend and happy reading!
Someone who read my book,
Life with Jesse Daniels, emailed me and asked if I put my
giant malamute Max in my book under the name "Manny." My book, of course, is pure fiction; but if you've read it, you may be wondering this as well, so I'm going to attempt to explain. The short answer is: No.
But it's complicated.
I wrote
Life with Jesse Daniels in 2006, during my last semester in college. My Max is only 3 years old today. When I got him, I was not actively looking for a
giant malamute just because I wrote about one in my book. I stumbled across an ad for him. His first owner had a stroke and could no longer handle him due to his large size, and the fact that he was expected to get bigger. My husband always wanted a large dog, and — being taller than your average Great Dane — this one was perfect. So we brought him home.
He was ten months old and had zero training. He was hyper and could not even
sit on command. He could not fit in the largest kennel at Petco, so we had to order a jumbo for $200+.
He was taller than our couch.
His original owners kept him outside so he wouldn't destroy their house. They told us he'd terrorized his neighbor's ducks. To us, he had to be an indoor dog.
He could not fit in the tub. The first bath was a disaster because, well, he's stronger than me, and he could barely even fit in the bath
room.
And ever since, he grew taller. He is actually the tallest malamute our vet has ever seen. Even taking him to the vet is a task, because it's nearly impossible to get him in the Jeep. His head comes up past our extra-tall baby gate, making him about 42" tall.
But oddly enough, he acts just like Manny in my book. He is mischievous. He loves his treats. He loves his ball (he's destroyed several). He sticks his nose in everyone's business, and — Max, at least — thinks he's a lapdog.
He also gets excited about, plays with, and chases
nothing — every once in a while.
I'm sure it's just a coincidence that I stumbled upon him, but he's just like I imagined him. Well, aside from the obvious coat and color difference. lol (For the record, Max was born all-white; now he's cinnamon and white.)
So now you know — Max and I were just meant to be.
Someone who read my book,
Life with Jesse Daniels, emailed me and asked if I put my
giant malamute Max in my book under the name "Manny." My book, of course, is pure fiction; but if you've read it, you may be wondering this as well, so I'm going to attempt to explain. The short answer is: No.
But it's complicated.
I wrote
Life with Jesse Daniels in 2006, during my last semester in college. My Max is only 3 years old today. When I got him, I was not actively looking for a
giant malamute just because I wrote about one in my book. I stumbled across an ad for him. His first owner had a stroke and could no longer handle him due to his large size, and the fact that he was expected to get bigger. My husband always wanted a large dog, and — being taller than your average Great Dane — this one was perfect. So we brought him home.
He was ten months old and had zero training. He was hyper and could not even
sit on command. He could not fit in the largest kennel at Petco, so we had to order a jumbo for $200+.
He was taller than our couch.
His original owners kept him outside so he wouldn't destroy their house. They told us he'd terrorized his neighbor's ducks. To us, he had to be an indoor dog.
He could not fit in the tub. The first bath was a disaster because, well, he's stronger than me, and he could barely even fit in the bath
room.
And ever since, he grew taller. He is actually the tallest malamute our vet has ever seen. Even taking him to the vet is a task, because it's nearly impossible to get him in the Jeep. His head comes up past our extra-tall baby gate, making him about 42" tall.
But oddly enough, he acts just like Manny in my book. He is mischievous. He loves his treats. He loves his ball (he's destroyed several). He sticks his nose in everyone's business, and — Max, at least — thinks he's a lapdog.
He also gets excited about, plays with, and chases
nothing — every once in a while.
I'm sure it's just a coincidence that I stumbled upon him, but he's just like I imagined him. Well, aside from the obvious coat and color difference. lol (For the record, Max was born all-white; now he's cinnamon and white.)
So now you know — Max and I were just meant to be.
Well, it's official! I'm once again chained to my desk, a slave to a novel, this one titled
My Best Friend's Brother. Wanna guess what it's about?
I've revised, edited, revised, and am now editing it again. I don't feel completely nuts yet, which is quite odd, because my word processor is crashing every 3-5 minutes; I'm literally to the point where I'm saving work every 15 seconds. I
would wish this on my worst enemy, but not on anybody else.
In the meantime, my debut novel—
Life with Jesse Daniels—is now on
Amazon Kindle!
Check it out here!
Exciting news!!! I am getting ready to
publish my second novel this coming fall, which is
fantastic, considering my first novel took a little over 8 years to prep.
Yeah, that's a while. And an understatement.
Since I like managing my inventory, initially, I sold
Life with Jesse Daniels exclusively
through my website—autographed—and it was great. Super great.
I do find that, no matter what I am selling—be it bookmarks, baby signs, books, my soul...—no one leaves a review. Okay, close to no one. Of the hundreds upon hundreds of sales I've made through my online stores last year, maybe one percent of people left a review. If that. Sometimes they would message me and rave about the product, and
still not leave a review.
Dude, really?
Okay, fine, I review next to nothing myself. Maybe I shouldn't talk.
I decided to put
Life with Jesse Daniels on Amazon and Kindle. I like selling exclusively through my site, but I thought, why not try it out for a bit? And, well, for a
very limited time, I am letting you download the
free ebook, in exchange for a review. I figured
free is pretty damn affordable, if you know what I mean. If you are a fan of
Young Adult and
romance fiction, you can get more information, sign up and
download the book on Story Cartel.
As many of you know, I have a Giant Malamute named
Max — who stopped chewing shoes, until I said he did. lol
So you shouldn't be shocked at my new
Remove Your Shoes WELCOME signs. They're funny, They're furry. They're quick and to the point!
As many of you know, I have a Giant Malamute named
Max — who stopped viewing shoes, until I said he did. lol
So you shouldn't be shocked at my new
Remove Your Shoes WELCOME signs. They're funny, They're furry. They're quick and to the point!
Really excited to announce that select
Don't Touch the Baby,
Wash Your Hands,
CHD,
Home Signs and
bookmarks are now available on
Amazon!
Click
here to see our Amazon.com storefront!
Pretty cool, right? The largest selection is still
on our website, but this helps more parents find us! =)
_______________________________As a reminder, you can always view our sales and DAILY DEAL and reach our site through these other websites as well:
WashYourHandsSigns.com, PremieSigns.com, CHDSigns.com and CarSeatSigns.com!
Really excited to announce that select
Don't Touch the Baby,
Wash Your Hands,
CHD,
Home Signs and
bookmarks are now available on
Amazon!
Click
here to see our Amazon.com storefront!
Pretty cool, right? The largest selection is still
on our website, but this helps more parents find us! =)
_______________________________As a reminder, you can always view our sales and DAILY DEAL and reach our site through these other websites as well:
WashYourHandsSigns.com, PremieSigns.com, CHDSigns.com and CarSeatSigns.com!
Here's the cover for a book I will be illustrating this spring,
I'll See You In My Dreams. As you can plainly see, it's a cute & cuddly bedtime story!
More to come!
Wishing our friends, family, customers, fans & Weimaraner dog lovers
a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Wishing our friends, family, customers, fans & Weimaraner dog lovers
a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Sharing
Black Friday Sale Coupons for
DontTouchBaby.com and
our Etsy shop! These codes are good through Sunday, November 30th, on most of our
books,
bookmarks,
baby signs and other
baby shower gifts!
Note that the
DontTouchBaby.com Bonus Coupon can be used in addition to our
Thanksgiving coupon, now through 11/30 only.
_______________________________TOP SELLERS this week:-
Life with Jesse Daniels-
Brown Boot Don't Touch the Baby Sign_______________________________As a reminder, you can always view our sales and DAILY DEAL and reach our site through these other websites as well:
WashYourHandsSigns.com, PremieSigns.com, CHDSigns.com and CarSeatSigns.com!
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